Life

His life is unknown before he began his spiritual education at the David Gareja (Davit-Gareji) Monastery in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia. As a monk, Joseph led a ascetic life and was endowed by the Lord with the gift of wonder-working. Through his prayers many were healed who were sick, blind, terminally ill, and possessed of the demon. His wisdom and virtuous life led him to be elected a bishop and enthronement as Bishop of Rustavi.

In 1755, he was elected to succeed Catholicos Anton I (Didi) as the leader of the Church of Georgia and he was enthroned, in 1756, as Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia. Even as a hierarch, Catholicos Joseph lived the life of a ascetic monk.

In 1764, Catholicos Joseph stepped down in humility as Catholicos-Patriarch and retired to Akhmeta in northeastern Georgia where he cultivated a vineyard the fruit of which he gave to the poor. While the climate of the area was capricious, subject to drought and hail that devastated fragile crops, the region suffered neither drought nor hail while he labored in it. Those who lived near him loved him deeply and put their hope in him.

In 1770, Catholicos Joseph reposed in peace, having lived a godly life to an old age.